Pair of Large Mid-20th Century Fiber Cement Willy Guhl Planters w/ Lichen Patina - 22"

Generous in scale and presence, this pair of mid-20th century fiber cement planters, likely designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit in Switzerland, takes the familiar form of oversized tapered flower pots, their wide flaring mouths crowned by a sharply fluted collar that lends both rhythm and refinement to the silhouette. The surfaces reveal mottled shades of cement gray animated by patches of yellow lichen and mineral accretions. Weathered through long outdoor use, with rim chips, small losses, and scattered abrasions, they remain structurally sound and present with quiet authority.

Developed in postwar Switzerland, Guhl’s fiber cement vessels combined modernist restraint with exceptional durability. Eternit allowed for thin-walled, precisely molded forms suited to serial production, while retaining a sculptural presence. This fluted-rim profile discreetly echoes classical cannelure within a clean, functional shape. Such planters were widely used on terraces, courtyards, and public landscapes across Europe during the 1950s and 1960s, their evolving surface patina becoming integral to their appeal.

As a pair, they bring proportion and balance to an entryway, garden path, or pool terrace, equally at ease in contemporary, industrial, or rustic settings. They may be planted with evergreens, olives, or ornamental grasses for a structured modern composition, or left unplanted to stand as sculptural vessels that highlight their lichen-rich surfaces. May have been made with asbestos - therefore, we advise that they are displayed outside or in a well-ventilated room. The patina mustn't be modified.